Pulse

Coming up at the House of Blues in Myrtle Beach: Christian metal vets Stryper shout at the devil on Fri. Nov. 4; John Legend gets groovy on Sat. Nov. 5; Thrice lay it down tripleways on Tues. Nov. 8; Opeth grind their chops with some Scandi-metal on Wed. Nov. 9. Check the full season's schedule at www.hob.com/venues/clubvenues/myrtlebeach.

CD RELEASE SHOWS

Local rock quartet Steve Hit Mike, four young fans of vintage punk and underground rock, are gearing up for two big CD release shows next week -- on Thurs. Nov. 10 at the Music Farm and on Sat. Nov. 12 at A Dough Re Mi. Guitarists Chris Love and Jeff Riddle, bassist Jamie Simpson, and drummer Brian Cochran recorded their new five-song EP, Twelve Feet Under, at Fusion 5 Studios with production from Jordan Herschaft and Jeff Leonard. Also celebrating a new album are longtime local roots-rock band Milhouse -- a quartet with unusual instrumentation (cello, mandolin, hand percussion, etc.). They recently announced plans to release a new full-length album next week. The 10-song disc, titled Tales of Woe and Yay, was also recorded at Fusion 5 Studios with production from Herschaft and Leonard. It's their follow-up effort to the 2001 collection, Still You Walk. Look for the band at a special in-store performance at Millennium Music downtown on Fri. Nov. 18. Check www.milhouse.com for more.

BURNING FOR BAIT

Asheville-based folk band The Biscuit Burners are set to perform a free evening concert during the "grand opening" festivities at the West Ashley Bait & Tackle spot on Sat. Nov. 5. The venue is located at 1117 Magnolia Road. The band call their new album, A Mountain Apart, "a testament to the band's devotion and dedication to their idea of fiery mountain music ... it embodies the driving force behind the band: innovative acoustic instrumentation tethered to an uncanny display of roots storytelling." The event starts at 3 p.m. and the Burners rosin up at 8 p.m. Go online to www.thebiscuitburners.com for more band info.

BLUES FOR BEVERLY

Charleston blues enthusiast Gary "Shrimp City Slim" Erwin has organized a special upstate benefit show for Beverly "Guitar" Watkins, who is recovering from serious surgery in Atlanta. A "blues blow-out" goes down on Fri. Nov. 4 at The Venue (at 1020 Broad St. in Camden, S.C., just a few miles south of Columbia) starting at 7 p.m. Food and an art raffle are included in the festivities. There's a $10 donation at the door. Featured performers include Jon Bolin & The Blues Disciples, Miss Wanda Johnson, Without a Paddle, Shrimp City Slim, Shelley Magee, and Danny & The Riptides. --T. Ballard Lesemann

DISCLOSURE

A funny thing happened to me on the way to the Rosebuds gig last Thursday at the Village Tavern. They announced they had no drummer for the show, so I offered to fill in -- after our mini-feature on them went to print. Last minute stuff. The guys from The April Invention and The Explorers Club all pointed and laughed, but it sounded at least half as good as the records.